


The Investigation

by Eienias20



Series: Xenoblade Saga [2]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Genre: Gen, Investigations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22793635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eienias20/pseuds/Eienias20
Summary: Elma, Nagi, Kumon, Lyla and Flame are questioned by a Coalition Internal Investigator: Ivan Birtwhistle on the events surrounding the 2041 Massacre and the 2053 Lawless Incident.
Series: Xenoblade Saga [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595743
Kudos: 2





	1. Colonel Elma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler Warning!  
> This story takes place around the ending of Xenoblade Chronicles Mira "Chapter 15: 2054" where Nagi suggests they all go to the investigators and give them interviews. This is what happens between then and Elma going to D-030 QueegQueeg

After months of fending off the Coalition's Investigation into what happened the day they assaulted the Lawless compound, the time finally came to sit down with the lead investigator and put it all out in the open.

Jaynix woke up not long ago and with that weight off her shoulders, Elma and those who accompanied her: Nagi, Kumon, Lyla and Flame, knew that they had to do this or the questions would never end.

So, this day found Elma and company heading to the Coalition headquarters. Stopping in front of the doors to the building, she took a deep breath, doing her best to calm herself knowing already what kinds of questions they would be facing. Feeling a hand on her shoulder she turned and gave a smile to Nagi.

Kumon, Lyla and Flame all gave her supportive nods. Knowing that Jaynix was under the watchful eye of Christoph and his security team was all the reassurance they needed.

All the other matters that they deemed more important than the investigation were settled, so all that remained was the sit down itself.

The five walked inside, one of the investigators spotted them and led them towards the interview rooms.

Standing at a split in the hallway he made note that there were three on one side and three on the other. Each of them would step into one and await the lead investigator, Ivan Birtwhistle. With that, he departed.

Elma, Nagi, Kumon, Lyla and Flame all exchanged looks. Elma addressing the latter two.

"Either of you do anything like this before?"

Lyla shook her head.

"No. The most I've done here in the Coalition or even the ECP headquarters is briefings and debriefs...I've never been part of an internal investigation."

"It's a witch hunt."

Kumon muttered. Flame looked to the man briefly before her gaze landed on Elma.

"I'm in the same boat...as you all know, I'm not military in any way, shape or form. I've had combat training with some arms while I was in the Academy but it was never my main focus…"

A small smile came to Flame's face.

"The most experience I have in this field is helping Jaynix with a bunch of the theoretical scenarios she had to study when it came to military planning, operational set ups and of course...dealing with fallout. I have an idea but that's it."

Elma placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You'll be fine. As long as we're honest with the answers, we'll be out of here before we know it."

Elma then looked to Nagi who was silent but she knew that he agreed with Kumon as well. There were forces at work seeking answers they could never have, so they changed their focus to seeking blame.

The group then broke apart, each individual entering one of the rooms and seating themselves.

* * *

It wasn't long before Ivan Birtwhistle stepped into Elma's room. Setting up his side of the table.

"How are you doing this afternoon, Colonel?"

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"I was doing very well, then I got here. Now. I feel a little annoyed."

The man chuckled as he pulled out a binder containing the dossiers of those involved with the Lawless Incident as well as another that no doubt have reports on the victims from twelve years prior.

"What has you so annoyed, Colonel?"

"I wonder...perhaps it has something to do with you sending your goons after us moments following our recovery. Why so desperate?"

"An oversight."

"An oversight?"

Ivan sat down, taking a deep breath.

"Our orders came from the President and the other leading Coalition figures. The common consensus was that they wanted answers. Immediately. My comrades took the urgency to extremes and-"

"Your comrades? If I recall, you were among the vultures right outside of General Kumon's room the moment he awoke."

Ivan opened his mouth, Elma cutting him off.

"And! Christoph personally told you to leave only for you to ignore him...don't think you slinking away after Kumon made his declaration made you any less guilty than those under your command you claim to have no control over."

The pair remained silent as one of the other investigators, acting as transcriber entered the room and sat in the corner.

"All I can do is apologize, Colonel. Surely you can understand at least to an extent. Who holds power and command over each other when it comes to positions within the Coalition and ECP hierarchy is not exactly black and white."

At that moment, Elma remembered President Reeve telling her to just take her position at the head of everything and have everyone fall in line.

With a sigh, she nodded.

"Regardless, that doesn't make the actions your people took right."

"No. It doesn't."

Elma remained silent as Ivan adjusted his tie.

"That out of the way….may we begin, Colonel?"

Elma simply nodded, the man then drew out a blank sheet of paper and scribbled something down.

"We'll start off easy. Name and position for the record…"

"Elma. Colonel of the Coalition Heavy Armor Training Unit. Otherwise known as the Skelleton Crew."

Ivan nodded before asking the next question.

"When did you first meet Lao Huang?"

Elma cleared her throat.

"March 2028. Back then the Coalition and the ECP determined the materials necessary to construct the ark ship development platforms as well as the ships themselves. However, a rogue faction learned about this and sought to horde a source of those same materials. They then began asking for ludicrous amounts of money as payment for the supplies...if their demands were not met, they threatened to destroy the materials. I was sent on a mission to quell that faction and was deployed alongside Lao Huang and Doug Barret along with their combined units. It was on that mission that I first spoke to and fought alongside Lao."

The investigator nodded, continuing to jot down notes as he spoke.

"What was your impression of him?"

Elma tilted her head.

"He was quite young back then but he had a good sense of where he should be. He was devoted to the cause and skilled. The title of Master Sniper isn't just a title after all. The idea of having him on my side, as an ally. It left me optimistic."

The investigator continued to nod.

"A positive first impression. Between you meeting him in 2028 and then him betraying the Coalition in 2041, did you notice anything about him that changed? Anything off?"

Elma was silent for a bit.

"I wish I had...so much could've been prevented but he seemed the same as ever. Once he got married he was happier and his joy was immeasurable when Chenshi was born. The only time I noticed any change was late 2038...however what I saw was nothing more than grief and despair over the loss of his family. I didn't know back then that they were victims of what happened in Nantucket. I didn't learn that till recently."

The investigator looked up at her.

"What happened in Nantucket?"

Elma sighed. She had just told the others that they had to be honest. The Dark Matter experimentation was something that should never have been done and the existence of the Dark Matter sample was not something that could be shared publicly for all the questions it would raise. She had to find some middle ground.

"There was an accident. An explosion. Half the city and a large portion of the population was wiped out. Including Lao's family who was visiting at the time. It was that event that sent him on his downward spiral."

Birtwhistle crossed his arms.

"So you noticed his despair...the start of his descent."

"...I did. But I never imagined he'd go this far. Who could?"

The investigator nodded, writing down a handful of notes before flipping his page over.

"We understand you weren't present for the 2041 massacre."

"I wasn't."

Ivan looked up at her.

"Where were you?"

Elma thought back to that time.

"I was with a team inspecting the development of the White Whale's Lifehold Archives and Lifehold Core. Very important facets of the Exodus as I'm sure you know...once we heard the...explosions I was in charge of locking down the sight in case it was a potential target. I didn't reach the Academy until well after the conflict had ended…"

Ivan nodded.

"Do you think your presence could have changed what happened?"

"I know it could have…despite Lao's skill...I believe I could have stopped him if I was there."

"Unfortunately you were not."

Elma narrowed her eyes.

"I was not involved with the massacre. I wish nothing more than to have been able to prevent it...not that wishing accomplishes anything more now…"

There was silence, Elma lost in a realm of what-ifs before Ivan spoke again.

"Moving on. When did you meet Jaynix Copeland?"

Elma shook her head.

"Is there nothing else you want to know about Lao?"

"We understand he was the one who killed many innocents and betrayed us all...but he's dead. Any more questions on the subject of him will eventually lead to nothing more than hypotheticals."

"And yet, completely unrelated to him, you believe Jaynix will give you answers?"

The man smiled.

"My job is to ask the questions. Yours is to answer. May we continue."

Elma leaned back in her seat as the man repeated the question.

"I met Jaynix in February of 2050. It's actually been four years since then, almost to the day. In the midst of all the expansion and stunning progress of Project Exodus I was quite worn out and decided to go for a walk outside our perimeter walls. Curiosity was truly my driving factor. The first encampment I visited was staffed by the Reapers. They were in the middle of training exercises. Sparring. That's where I met her."

"What did you think of her?"

Elma couldn't fight off a smile.

"She...was bold. Challenging me to a spar moments after meeting me. She was strong. Experienced and trained very well. Nothing but good things."

"Were you aware of the 2041 massacre when you met Jaynix?"

Elma nodded.

"I doubt there's a person who wasn't aware of it. One of our most decorated soldiers betrayed us that day. Everyone was hurting, confused and angry...I knew that only two people survived the massacre but I myself was focused on Lao."

"So you didn't know that Jaynix's mother and father both died that day? When you met Jaynix, you were unaware of that?"

Elma looked down.

"Yes...though I learned about it not long after...I was curious about Jaynix's military record and when I was looking into it...I learned what happened."

"So for the four years you've known Jaynix, you were aware of the effect the 2041 massacre had on her and yet you gave the okay to allow her deployment last year to deal with the man who killed her parents."

"Yes."

"You let an emotionally compromised wild card onto your team and onto the field of battle for one of the Coalition's most important missions since its formation."

"Jaynix is hardly a wild card. She's a devoted and dutiful soldier who contributes to the Coalition's mission every single day with everything she has."

The man nodded.

"And yet, because of her personal attachments to the tragedy and to Lao, and because you allowed her on the mission, you gave her the chance to murder Lao thus preventing his capture and us from learning his true motives."

Elma tilted her head.

"Murder?"

"She shot an unarmed, defenseless man. What would you call it?"

Elma thought for a moment.

"I'd call it righteous indignation."

The investigator leaned back in his seat, some surprise in his face.

"Explain."

"Lao allowed his pain and trauma to transform him into a monster unrecognizable by even those who were once closest to him. That man was a wild dog who broke free of his leash...in some ways killing him was a mercy and in others...it was exactly what he deserved."

"And you think Jaynix was in the right state of mind to make that call? To be judge, jury and executioner?"

Elma tapped her fingers on the desk.

"She was going to do it no matter what. And if she didn't do it, I would have. Jaynix did the right thing and no one could ever convince me otherwise."

Birtwhistle nodded once more.

"Do you think you could've stopped her?"

Elma recalled the moment before shaking her head.

"I was...I didn't even notice."

"You didn't?"

She sighed.

"Once it was clear that Lao was defeated...I took up one of my pistols with the intention of killing him. We had a short conversation…"

Ivan tilted his head.

"About what?"

"His justifications for trying to dismantle Project Exodus. The death of his family driving him all this way. He admitted to me that...he'd do it all again. He believed he was right."

Ivan sighed.

"I see...what does Project Exodus have to do with his family? It was an accident that killed them, correct?"

Elma thought for a moment, speaking quickly so Ivan couldn't tell.

"He believed the 'accident' was negligence. On top of that he disliked the idea behind Mimeosome technology. He believed once we went there, we were no longer humans. He seemed to want us to die as humans as opposed to...something else."

Elma couldn't quite tell what the expression on Ivan's face was. Shaking his head he flipped the page once more.

"Lao aside. I have to ask, what action do you think we should take with the Corporal? There has been a lot of talk regarding dismissal."

Elma sighed, right back to questions about Jaynix.

"If I may be honest and blunt. Dismissing her would be a gigantic mistake. Jaynix is an irreplaceable asset. Ending her service now would not benefit anyone. If the only thing we have to worry about is her killing unrepentant traitors...then I have yet to hear a good reason for allowing her dismissal."

"I see...you told me that you had a gun in your hand, ready to kill Lao when Jaynix took the shot instead. I have to ask, would you truly have done it Colonel? If not to Lao to someone else who you believed deserved it? Would you forgo the rules, the regulations, the laws, to deliver your justice onto others?"

Elma took a deep breath.

"I would."

"I see."

Standing, the investigator gathered his things.

"Is that all?"

"I don't believe I have to ask for a recount of the events after you and your company entered the base, rescued the hostage and engaged Lao and Torrez do I?"

"It was all in my after action report."

Birtwhistle nodded as he finished with his supplies.

"I trust your word...so with that, yes. We are done. I have four other individuals to get to after all."

Elma raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't going to come knocking on my door at two in the morning looking for more answers are you?"

"That depends on what the others tell us."

Elma stood up as the man continued.

"Is the Corporal awake?"

Elma remained silent as the transcriber stood and left the room, headed for the next one.

"We're no longer on the record so feel free to lie to me if you wish."

"When she's ready, she'll be here. It's her choice."

"Very well."

With that, the man left. Elma closed her eyes. Of course they spent more time asking about Jaynix than they did Lao. What they learned about a dead man would ultimately be irrelevant to the matter at hand.

She also couldn't help but recognize that she had just lied to the internal investigation team. It was also extremely unlikely that Birtwhistle would ever learn the truth. Her identity, the Dark Matter and its role in the death of Lao's family were all things kept under tight wraps for reasons that she herself...justified.

Yet did those kinds of actions really make her all that different from Lao? Elma shook her head, she knew she wasn't going around killing innocents for revenge but she also knew the decisions the ECP had moved forward with and the ethical nature of Project Exodus was so questionable. So much so, Lao turned against it and Doug chose to remain on Earth until the end.

With a heavy sigh, Elma lowered her head onto the desk. These questions, these doubts. She had told Doug that she wanted nothing more than to find a better answer. A better way. But there was none, time was running out. This was how it had to be.

Elma remained there for a few minutes before standing up and leaving the room. As she did she couldn't help but think about the entire investigation and more importantly, why it happened.

President Reeve had assured her that he, personally wasn't behind the order for the investigation but other heads of state wanted it. Why would they push this investigation through in the first place? It's true that they were the ones that wanted Lao alive but everyone else was aware that the odds of that happening were minimal.

The answer came to Elma almost immediately. They or at least some of them had to be involved with everything and wanted Lao captured to know if he gave any of them away.

Out in the hall, Elma made sure she was alone before pulling out her datapad, prepared to make a call only to see she had a message from President Reeve.

Opening it up, she found one of the pieces of information he had promised her: Benton's location.


	2. Commander Kentaro Nagi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finished questioning Elma, Ivan Birtwhistle moves on to Coalition Commander Nagi.

Sitting in his room, Nagi remained still, eyes closed. The last three months following the Lawless Incident were particularly harsh. Much more so than he expected them to be. Lao sought to bring the Coalition into a full on battle and after his people assaulted Elma's complex, he succeeded. The full weight of the Coalition came down on him, giving him exactly what he wanted. Every loss was a victory for that man, this Nagi knew.

Upon hearing the door open, Nagi opened his eyes, the lead investigator stepping inside.

"Kentaro Nagi, I do wish our encounter would be a bit more...pleasant."

"Birtwhistle."

The man placed his binders and other such documents on the table, a smile on his face.

"So you do know me."

"Who doesn't? You're a man well known for sniffing out the truth...when it comes to internal investigations there is no one better than you."

Sitting down, Birtwhistle nodded.

"You give me more praise than my own son."

"Your son hates you."

The investigator chuckled.

"So much so he moved to another city and hasn't spoken to me since…"

The pair remained silent for a moment, Birtwhistle letting out a heavy sigh.

"I don't suppose you can understand the hatred he has for me...can you?

The transcriber entered next, taking their seat in silence as Nagi spoke.

"I'm afraid not, Birtwhistle. I have no children of my own. I'll admit to forging bonds with some of those I work closest to but I don't know what it's like to be hated. I'd suggest speaking with him but I imagine that's not an easy thing to do."

The investigator shrugged.

"Not like it matters. Our paths diverged. So be it."

Clearing his throat, Birtwhistle opened his main binder and retrieved a pen.

"First thing, relevant personal information."

"Kentaro Nagi. 57. Commander of the Coalition's Armed Forces."

Birtwhistle locked eyes with the older man. Making note of how calm he was. Internal investigations tended to unnerve most people. Unlike Elma who was in a poor mood the entire discussion due to her personal bond with Jaynix, Nagi was stoic.

"When did you first meet, Lao Huang?"

Nagi thought for a moment.

"That would be July 2025. Lao was 20 years old when he enrolled at the Aeacus Academy. I supervised the enrollment ceremony that year and he was among the crowd. It wasn't long after that when he began making quite the name for himself and impressed most of the proctors and instructors at the time. It was a week or so after the enrollment when I personally spoke with him on the training field. Simply asking how he got so good at shooting."

Birtwhistle tilted his head.

"What did he say?"

"He grew up wanting to serve and protect...he focused on sharpshooting because from afar not only could he see threats, but he could keep his eyes on those he swore to safeguard. It was quite an answer...I told him that he would eventually find himself in a situation where he could do nothing but watch as a comrade of his died...no one gets through a military career without losses. He accepted that."

Birtwhistle wrote something down before moving on.

"After meeting him in 2025 and by the time he betrayed us in 2041. Did you notice anything about him that changed?"

Nagi thought briefly, bringing a hand to his chin.

"No. He was a model, honorable and loyal soldier. A man I believed I could trust. He changed his focus from combat to teaching around 2037 I think it was...he seemed even happier in that field...perhaps cause it allowed him more time with his wife but he could never resist the urge to serve."

Nagi watched Birtwhistle continue to write.

"Where were you during the events of the massacre?"

Nagi closed his eyes. How he wished he could've been at the Academy that day.

"I had heard about the Devoted coming to Rhadamanthus for a session...I wanted to see them training the next generation of protectors. I was at the Coalition headquarters following reports of some unrest in the Uncontrolled Districts. The surveillance team and I were monitoring key sites beyond the wall, looking for signs of movement...then there were the explosions."

Ivan nodded.

"Those reports. Do you believe that was a distraction orchestrated by Lao's people?"

Nagi shrugged.

"It very well could have been...because I was keeping an eye on it I wasn't at the Academy when the attack occurred. When I did get there I joined the rescue effort, trying to see if we could find survivors among the rubble. We just found bodies."

Ivan nodded once again, slowly. A frown on his face as he turned the page on his notes and spoke.

"When did you meet Jaynix Copeland?"

"Jaynix?"

"Yes. The Corporal is vital to our investigation."

Nagi leaned back in his seat, he doubted that but he answered anyway.

"May 2020, two months after she was born. Hideo and I go a long way back and he wanted me to meet her, the daughter of his closest friends. I doubt even Jaynix knows that was the first time I laid eyes on her."

"How about when she started serving?"

"2038. The year she entered into the Rhadamanthus Academy. That was when I interacted with her in a more notable sense. She was spirited, eager, proud, strong...I had hope in her, that she could accomplish whatever she aimed for."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"The 2041 Massacre...were you aware of the effect it had on Jaynix?"

Thinking of that event again, Nagi sighed.

"...yes...she did not attend the Academy for quite some time after the deaths of her parents. Instead she and her sister, Flame moved in with Hideo. I don't have all the details on their time there...but I saw both of them return to the Academy. What happened in 2041 left its scars as I'm sure we all know but it also pushed them...they wanted to succeed and prove themselves to their parents. Even then."

Nagi trailed off, thinking of Jaynix and Flame's return to the Academy. Falling back into their places and continuing to ace their exams and impress the people around them.

"It was inspiring…"

"...did you think the choice to allow Jaynix to engage in this mission against the Lawless was the right one? Were you not concerned how her temperament and mental state might affect the mission?"

Nagi shook his head.

"Jaynix is not crazy."

Birtwhistle pulled out several autopsy reports and slid them across the table.

"These are the bodies of the Lawless who attacked the ECP apartment complex. The brutality of their deaths were all attributed to the Corporal. Many say she adopted her mother's alias but without any self control...do you look at this and think she's of sound mind?"

Nagi observed the reports before eyeing Birtwhistle.

"If your goal was to disturb me you may have missed the part where I was on scene as these bodies were cleaned up. These very reports were written while I was present."

Birtwhistle remained silent as Nagi continued.

"When it comes to our advanced forces and the Lawless Sectors...violence is expected. It happens."

"No one else of the many units operating beyond our walls has the record that Jaynix has when it comes to the state of the bodies she leaves behind. Even more were found in the ruins of the Lawless' base of operations along with Lao and Torrez's corpses. In addition, twelve years ago there were bodies carved up in similar grotesque fashion."

Nagi watched as Birtwhistle drew out more reports from the 2041 massacre.

"Not just Devoted soldiers...but several Academy officers were reported to have been torn apart."

"Those reports never identified the person who killed them. There was no evidence on the field."

"...maybe not but you can't deny the similarities."

Nagi nodded.

"I recall the Archer being on site and he disabled all the firearms in the hopes to prevent more deaths. At that point everyone turned to their blades to defend themselves. Of course the bodies would be torn up following that."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"Of course. Back to Jaynix, she executed Lao despite direct orders. Fueled by vengeance no doubt. I'm sure you know that those in power are considering her dismissal from service. What do you say to that?"

"If Jaynix, a woman who's dedicated so many years of her life to the protection of our people, is dismissed from service over the death of a single traitor who committed many atrocities in the name of vengeance...then I would hand in my resignation as well."

Birtwhistle stopped writing.

"You don't mean that."

"Who's to say those in power would be satisfied after dismissing Jaynix? After she's gone they'll turn their attention on Elma, Kumon and Lyla who were also present at the time of Lao's death. They'd all be held accountable for being unable to stop Jaynix from killing a man who deserved it."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"I see…if I may ask Nagi. Why did you not head into the battle? Deal with the Lawless yourself? With Lao?"

Nagi sighed.

"If we could do this again...I'd be a part of it...but I trusted Elma and Kumon to handle it. The plan we formed should've gone off without a hitch but in our rush to bring Lao to justice we overlooked his years of service and his knowledge of our strategies and so we were forced into combat...if things had gone our way, I would have been there."

"Would you have killed Lao?"

Nagi thought of the man for a moment.

"No...I don't think I would've been able to...I know I would have wanted to, but I doubt I could pull the trigger."

Birtwhistle crossed his arms.

"So. In your mind and from your estimation as Commander..everything involving Jaynix's role in this operation, the fact that she was even allowed to take part and her killing Lao...you accept all that?"

Nagi smiled.

"How could I not? Jaynix is decorated and strong. Having her on site was a boon to everyone who knew her and knew of her. Her support system was with her...as for Lao. I understand the desire to bring him in...but it was never going to happen."

"You say that, yet you also said that if you were there you wouldn't have shot him."

Nagi shrugged.

"Elma didn't shoot him either...Jaynix took the initiative. I imagine the same would have happened if I was there. You can rewrite the scenario, recast the parts, but the ending is always the same, Ivan. Surely you can see that?"

Birtwhistle nodded before standing up.

"I think we can call it here."

"Nothing else?"

"I believe any more questions I ask you would be better served if asked to General Kumon. That's all."

Standing the investigator opened the door allowing the transcriber to depart.

"Are you okay with this, Ivan?"

The man looked back at Nagi.

"It's like you said. Internal investigations are my forte, I've ended the careers of many who have taken the power granted to them and abused it."

"What if the ones abusing their power are not us but the ones at the top?"

Birtwhistle shrugged.

"Get me proof and I can act on it. Until then, have a good day, Nagi."

With that the man departed and moved onto the next room.

A few moments later, Nagi stood and stepped outside, seeing Elma staring at her datapad.

"Colonel."

"Nagi. How'd it go?"

"Birtwhistle may have to watch himself with Kumon, Lyla and Flame...his questions about Jaynix will not sit right with them."

Elma nodded.

"They didn't sit right with me...I know he's just doing his job but-"

The woman shook her head and turned away as Nagi sat down.

"So. We wait."

The pair sat there, Nagi noting that Elma wanted to ask something.

"Birtwhistle didn't wear me out that much. What is it, Elma?"

"Do you really think they'll dismiss Jaynix?"

Nagi sighed.

"I don't know...while I disagree with Ivan's view on events he's right to question our thought process. We let Jaynix join the mission knowing what happened back in 2041."

Elma nodded.

"Maybe so...but we both know that if we benched her, she'd just find her way to the battle on her own. She needed to be there and at least this way we were with her…"

Nagi recalled the report he read regarding Elma, Lyla and Kumon's battle with Lao and Torrez before Jaynix arrived.

"Were you desperate to finish the fight before…"

Elma looked to the man.

"Yes...if I could take all the blame for killing Lao, I would. But I also couldn't justify doing it with Jaynix present so when she appeared I…"

Elma's gaze fell to her datapad. Nagi reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We all made our choices. Let's not question it. That's Ivan's job."

Elma nodded, a small smile on her face as she thought once more of the message on her datapad. As much as she wanted to follow it through and take care of Benton she knew she had to be here for Kumon, Lyla and Flame.


	3. General Hideo Kumon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan Birtwhistle finds the one answer he needed in Jaynix's guardian: Hideo Kumon.

In his room, Kumon sat, his eyes focused on an old photograph in his hands. At the forefront of the image was a very young Jaynix and Flame. The older girl had her arm around the younger one, wide smiles on both their faces.

Behind them stood Sonja and Maxwell, easy smiles, proud parents. Kumon’s breath caught in his throat as it always did when he thought of his old friends.

Behind them, he stood, his arms around both of their shoulders

Despite his current mess of emotions he couldn’t help but smile when he recalled the effort he had to put in to get this photo taken.

Rounding up the young Jaynix and Flame was a challenge, he couldn’t keep up with their boundless energy no matter what he did. He ended up having to bribe them with the promise of ice cream.

As he thought of the joy in the girls’ faces, he remembered the talk he had with Flame after he finally admitted to himself that he saw her and Jaynix as his daughters.

Closing his eyes, he whispered a silent thank you to Michael Christoph for telling him something he’s known for a decade yet refused to acknowledge.

Hearing the door handle turn, Kumon slid the photograph back into his vest and took a deep breath. The door opened and in stepped Ivan Birtwhistle.

“General.”

“Detective.”

Ivan sat himself down his eyes focused on Kumon, a strange emotion on display.

Before Kumon could question it, Ivan retrieved a handkerchief from his coat and held it out to the General. It took mere moments for him to realize what it was for. Whispering a silent thank you, Kumon took the item and wiped his eyes.

The men remained silent as the transcriber entered and prepared to do their job.

Ivan held his hand up when Kumon attempted to return his handkerchief. With a nod, Kumon pocketed it and took a deep breath once more.

Focusing his attention on the other man, he spoke.

“I remember you, Birtwhistle. Didn’t you once have a partner? What was his name?”

“Solomon. Mathias Solomon.”

Kumon smiled.

“Solomon. Yes.”

Birtwhistle laid his binders and forms out before him.

“He left the position with us for a higher position overseeing the Coalition’s branch at the Cross. He’s become quite involved with team and personnel management regarding the L-015. A step up from paperwork eh?”

Kumon nodded.

“Indeed...well then. What have you got?”

Clearing his throat, Birtwhistle began.

“Name and position for the record.”

“Hideo Kumon. Coalition General and leader of the 3rd Soldier Unit also known as the Reapers.”

Birtwhistle leaned back in his seat, third time through the questions. This time though, he knew there was something he needed waiting for him at the end of it.

“When did you first meet Lao Huang?”

“August 2022. I was putting together a series of joint training exercises in cooperation with the Aeacus, Rhadamanthus and Mīnōs Academies. I pulled officers from each one for the exercises and Lao Huang was among those from Aeacus. I knew much about him of course, he had a good reputation and I saw this as an opportunity to help him grow and become even better. Seeing how he handled himself let me know much about him as a soldier and as a man...at least that’s what I thought...”

Birtwhistle nodded.

“He stood out at those exercises I imagine.”

“He did...think of them as the Olympics. Sort of. Not nearly as grand but that was the idea. I had a point system in place to inspire and drive their competitive nature. Because of Lao’s efforts, Aeacus came out on top.”

“Rhadamanthus is often seen as the best.”

Kumon chuckled.

“It is indeed, overall it is the superior institution. But for that week in 2022, it was Aeacus.”

Birtwhistle wrote a few sentences in his binder.

“Between meeting him in 2022 and the massacre in 2041 was there anything about him that stood out to you? Any sort of change?”

Kumon could only sigh.

“None...after he graduated he dedicated himself to his work. Once he married he split his time between his wife and his work. Having a kid changed him but...for the better. Among all that joy, I didn’t see anything different.”

“Did you know that his wife and child had passed?”

Kumon leaned back in his seat.

“I learned of that quite a while after it happened. Lao kept it to himself, I imagine that’s how he dealt with his pain. Or rather, how he failed to deal with it. I learned what happened from Nagi…a terrible loss.”

Birtwhistle continued to write.

“When did you meet Jaynix Copeland?”

At the long silence that followed, Birtwhistle looked to Kumon.

“General. I asked you a question.”

“I heard you…”

“Then?”

Kumon chuckled.

“I’m merely calming myself, Birtwhistle. Perhaps you don’t understand the bond I share with both Copeland sisters but you won’t be able to use me to entrap Jaynix. I forbid it.”

“Then maybe you should have used that bond to stop her from killing the only man who would have made all of this go away.”

Kumon narrowed his eyes, Ivan raising his hands.

“That was out of turn.”

“Damn right it was.”

Ivan brought one of his hands to his face, rubbing his nose he shook his head.

“This woman. Jaynix. The loyalty. The depths of the bonds she has with you, Nagi, Elma…”

“What of it?”

Birtwhistle glanced over at the transcriber before looking to Kumon.

“Nothing. It’s irrelevant. I understand that Jaynix is important to you but I must remind you that you have to answer my questions. There must be no room for doubt.”

Kumon took a deep breath. Birtwhistle asked the question once more and this time, Kumon answered.

“The day she was born. As I’m sure most people know, I was close friends with their parents Sonja and Maxwell Copeland. When Sonja told me she was pregnant it was a moment I’ll never forget. Shortly after she was born they called for me to meet her...and so I did...it was a good day…”

Birtwhistle remained silent as Kumon got lost in his memories. The way he, Nagi and Elma described meeting Jaynix the first time only served to remind him that it was very likely they weren’t being straight with him. At least not entirely. They were too close to the Corporal.

“What was she like as she grew up? What was she like when she first chose to serve?”

Kumon sighed.

“She was always fierce, even as a little girl. Her sister being born caused something else to grow within her. A desire to protect. When Jaynix became old enough to understand what it was, that’s when she started protecting Flame...eventually that desire grew to her wanting to protect everyone. So she started working towards it when she was about 15 or 16 and at 18 was accepted into Rhadamanthus. Jaynix is strong, loyal, brave, stubborn...and kind.”

Birtwhistle nodded.

“How did this capable young woman become the terror of the Lawless Sectors?”

Kumon remained silent as Birtwhistle continued.

“When did she join the Reapers?”

“2044. She, Major Tai Alistair, Strategist Eren Hills and Agent Lyla Copeland were all brought together by me that year.”

“Indeed...and it was shortly after that when the whispers began. Terrorist cells in the Lawless Sectors were scared of this soldier, this woman that they began to call...the Bloodstained Corporal. Which if I recall was her mother’s designation.”

Kumon fell silent once again.

“However. There was one key difference between Sonja and Jaynix’s Bloodstained aliases. Sonja only ever flew into a rage once…”

“It’s a battle and a memory she hated.”

“Yes...from then on, she controlled that rage. Used it to become one of the Coalition’s most regarded soldiers. Jaynix however, cannot stop herself from allowing her emotions to drive her...operational reports from battles out in the Sectors illustrate this. After she completes her assignment, she leaves horror in her wake. So I ask again, how did a woman dedicated to protection become...this?”

Kumon shook his head.

“You know the answer. The Massacre. She lost her father, her mother and...herself. She couldn’t recall what happened in the battlefield after her mother was killed, but she had nightmares of the event.”

“You know this because you took her and Flame in, correct?”

Kumon nodded.

“I had to. For Sonja and Maxwell, I needed to protect them. Guide them. So for a decade I raised them…”

“All of that is to say, General...you knew, more than anyone what Jaynix was capable of. Did you think that allowing her to take her rage out on the terrorists would...cure her?”

Kumon shook his head.

“I wish...what afflicted Jaynix...that mental damage. It took her years to admit that she’d never be able to recover from it. She could handle it, manage it and accept it but she’d never be the same as she was before 2041. We all knew that...I enlisted her aid into the 3rd Soldier Unit because she needed an outlet. While we’re at it we can lay off the formalities and be honest with one another, Birtwhistle.”

The investigator tilted his head as Kumon continued.

“Jaynix’s brutish methods of dispatching our enemies were never a problem, no one ever paid attention to it. The violence was expected. Nothing that she did out there ever mattered...until now. Now that you need someone to blame.”

Birtwhistle sighed.

“General. Listen. You are the one among all who I’m interviewing today who knows the full extent of Jaynix’s mental instability. You know above anyone else what she’s capable of and yet, you. The one person Jaynix would have absolutely listened to if you told her that she couldn’t go on the mission to battle the Lawless...you let her go.”

“I-”

“Jaynix was benched as soon as you realized it was the 2nd Soldier Unit. You made that call before she and Lao even crossed paths yet you went back on it.”

Kumon tilted his head.

“How did you know that?”

The two men stared at each other, Kumon searching his thoughts before the answer slammed into him.

“Steven Harper.”

Kumon stood up.

“You went to Steven Harper and you-”

“Of course I did, General. I think he’s the only person willing to tell me the truth.”

“You mean he’s the only person who can back up this...this witch hunt! This whole investigation, the goal of it was decided the moment the order came down. You don’t care what I say. What Nagi said, what Elma said...what Lyla and Flame will say. You already know what you’re going to do to Jaynix.”

Birtwhistle stood up.

“The more important question, General. Is what we’re going to do to you.”

Before Kumon could ask, Ivan cut in.

“The day of the massacre...were you not the first person to find Jaynix in the aftermath.”

“I was.”

“She was alone. Covered in blood and entrails from innocents and enemies alike.”

Kumon crossed his arms.

“What do you expect? You saw all the photos taken, the aftermath. Did you expect her not to have any blood on her at all?”

“That’s not the part that concerns me General. We all know that Sonja was at the site too and that she was fighting and killing. Yet from what little information we could gather from those who were at the scene cataloguing everything...Sonja’s blade, her unique, blood colored blade...was clean. As if she killed...no one.”

Ivan sat back down.

“How odd.”

Kumon remained silent as Ivan whispered.

“The crimes you committed. The laws you broke. Everything you did that day, General...you and Jaynix will be going down for it.”

There was a long silence before Birtwhistle gathered all his supplies, opening the door to let the transcriber out. He stood there, holding onto the handle before turning to Kumon.

“You don’t have to be held accountable for this General. All they want is Jaynix.”

“You want me to sell her out for my safety? Jaynix? My…my purpose in life is to protect her and Flame.”

“I understand that, General. But no one is interested in arraigning you or holding you for any form of treason. You can’t offer yourself up if no one wants you. It’s either both of you or just Jaynix. Make the smart choice.”

Kumon approached the man.

“Then if you knew this...if you had this trump card lying in wait...why bother with all of these interviews?”

Ivan searched Kumon’s eyes before turning away.

“I await your answer, General.”

With that he left the room and headed for the next.

Kumon stepped out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him and turning to see Nagi and Elma, both of them were standing and looking at him, he could see the concern in their eyes.

Kumon merely shook his head, at a loss for words he leaned against the door and slid down to the ground. Nagi called out his name as Elma moved to his side quickly and began speaking to him.

He couldn’t hear her.

His thoughts were filled with Jaynix.

All her smiles over the decade he’s watched over her.

Then Steven invaded his thoughts.

And at that moment he felt it.

He felt Jaynix’s rage.

This emotion within him, he knew, was what drove Jaynix. What kept her moving after 2041, what brought her to 2053 and allowed her to kill the man who stole so much from her.

Clenching his fists, Kumon desired nothing more than to find Steven.

And once he does...


	4. Agent Lyla Copeland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthwhistle's next interview is with Jaynix's wife, Lyla.

Lyla sat in her room, a warm smile on her face as she thought of her wife. Jaynix had finally come to after three months of lying in that bed.

Once she was able to pull herself off of Jaynix, she called Tai, Eren, Sagis and Alto to let them know. They were all ecstatic to hear and were eager to come down for a visit as soon as they could.

Once this whole investigation was over, Lyla would be returning to Jaynix's side.

"Actually...I should stop by our place and…"

Lyla tapped her chin as she once again thought of the cookbook that she and Jaynix had discussed shortly after the Lawless incursion of the ECP complex. Heading home and cooking up a few things to bring to Jaynix in the hospital would be great.

Something easy but something delicious. Just the kind of stuff Jaynix loved. The woman was eager to get to bulking up already but the first thing she needed to do was regain some control of her legs.

Thinking of Jaynix's legs brought a frown to Lyla's face. Lyla blamed herself for Jaynix's spinal injury having spent the majority of the final battle against Lao on the ground. If only she had helped her out sooner.

Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside before focusing once more on Jaynix's legs and the lag that the woman now faced. While she knew without a doubt in her mind that Jaynix would dedicate herself to overcoming it, Lyla couldn't help but think that maybe now was the time to go through with the Mimeosome procedure. The Reapers would all go together, as the family that they were.

Door opening, Lyla was pulled from her thoughts as Ivan Birtwhistle entered the room. After placing his supplies on the table, he took off his glasses and began wiping them clean as the transcriber took their place.

Satisfied, Ivan put his glasses back on and sat in his place, across from Lyla.

"Hello, Mrs. Copeland."

"Detective."

Ivan smiled.

"Let's start this off with your general information."

Lyla nodded.

"Lyla Copeland. 33. Special Agent in the Coalition's Armed Forces and member of the 3rd Soldier Unit, the Reapers."

"What does your position as Special Agent entail?"

Lyla smiled.

"Intelligence. I recon, scout and the like...I'm always the first to move into the enemy zone with another Reaper acting as security, watching my blindspots."

"Torture?"

"Interrogation. If need be. I'll admit it is not a skill I've used a lot given our kill on sight orders."

Birtwhistle crossed his arms.

"But you have interrogated before?"

"I have. Why?"

"Nothing. Though you may be the only one who can see through my questions. Might make my job harder."

Lyla laughed.

"I'm afraid all of us saw through this ruse of an 'internal investigation' the moment we were told about it."

"Indeed…"

Opening his binder, Birtwhistle began to write before asking.

"When did you first meet Lao Huang?"

"September 2041, when he and the rest of the Devoted came to Rhadamanthus Academy for their weeklong session with our officers. I'd heard of the man in the halls of the Academy because of how well known he was but I wasn't personally interested."

Birtwhistle chuckled.

"Why?"

"Nothing to do with him. I admit his service record as a sharpshooter is impressive...I'm more into knives myself, like my comrade, Eren."

The investigator wrote something down.

"Anything else? Did you actually speak to him?"

Lyla thought back before shaking her head.

"No. No personal interaction. I heard more about him than I spoke to him. Mostly through Jaynix as she aspired to be a protector like he was."

"It may have been brief but I have to ask...did anything about him that day seem off? Anything at all?"

Lyla shook her head.

"He seemed tired but really, all of us serving feel that way. A lot. We have a heavy burden to bear. I will say, after everything happened...after the Massacre, I couldn't understand why a man celebrated like he was would turn on everyone and everything he once believed…"

Birtwhistle nodded as Lyla continued.

"I'm sure things would have been different if we were all made aware of his loss."

"You mean the accident?"

"I mean everything...he wasn't well but a man with his pride would never admit that."

Birtwhistle leaned in.

"You believe his actions were caused by an unsound state of mind?"

"No. It had a role to play for sure but at the end of the day, he chose to do the things he did. At that point...what could be done?"

Birtwhistle whispered something to himself before moving on.

"When did you meet Jaynix?"

With a smile, Lyla spoke.

"March 2038. It was a few months after she and I enrolled into the Rhadamanthus Academy. I was sparring with the members of my squad when a proctor from a different squad came to offer me a special spar with their best fighter. That fighter was Jaynix and that's how we met."

"Quite a meeting."

"It was...that one fight. The look in her eyes. The way she moved. The force in her blows. I learned more about her in that one encounter than any conversation."

Lyla watched as Birtwhistle leaned back.

"What did you learn about her?"

"The most obvious was that she was strong. Her physique isn't just for show, there is power in every movement and every strike that she makes. Beyond that, while one could surprise her, she never let it get the better of her. She adapted, she was determined...she's the kind of person who will fight on no matter what. For the things she wants to protect, she'll do anything."

Birtwhistle tapped his pen along the paper, thinking. Lyla watched him as he looked back up at her.

"I understand your bond with Jaynix is...personal."

"She's my wife. Don't dance around it, Detective. I love her with all my heart."

"I can see that…"

Clearing his throat, he continued.

"What state was your relationship in when the massacre occurred in 2041? How involved were you in Jaynix's...rehabilitation."

Lyla sighed.

"Jaynix and I were dating at the time...then she moved in with the General. I visited her and Flame as often as I could...too much I'll admit. There was a time when my grades suffered because of it but I couldn't help it. I saw the pain they were dealing with and I did my best for them alongside the General."

Lyla waited a few more moments, staring at the detective.

"If you want to know about the time she spent with the General, you should ask him."

Birtwhistle chuckled.

"I'll admit that I may have forgotten to get into that with him."

"Pardon me but aren't you the best there is at this? How could you forget?"

The detective shrugged.

"I simply had other answers I wished to pursue from him. Once I realized I didn't touch on the time Jaynix and Flame spent at his home, it was too late to get back to it…"

Lyla remained silent as Birtwhistle flipped through his pages.

"You knew Jaynix was in a state following the massacre, yes? Did you think her continued desire to join the military and serve was a good one?"

Lyla sighed.

"I asked her the same thing and Jaynix told me that there was something her mother would always say to her. It was that Flame would always be safe if she was there. When Jaynix decided to serve, Sonja began to tell her that everyone would be safe as long as she was there...Jaynix refused to let her mother down. She had to complete her training, graduate and join the armed forces. She had to protect everyone, she had to see her mother's words through. No matter the difficulty. When she told me that...I knew that I couldn't and shouldn't stop her. So I helped her."

"Admirable...do you look at the things she's done since then and think that...maybe that was a mistake?"

Lyla laughed at that, Birtwhistle raising an eyebrow as she apologized.

"I'm sorry. Was that not a joke?"

"I'm not joking about anything here Mrs. Copeland."

"It sure sounded like a joke to me…"

The pair stared at one another in silence. Ivan noticed Lyla's gaze move from him to the transcriber. She raised an eyebrow before looking back at Ivan.

There was something in her eyes he wasn't fond of.

"Mrs. Copeland. I asked you a question, I require an answer."

"So it really wasn't a joke?"

"Mrs. Copeland."

The smile on Lyla's face was not genuine, Ivan could tell. As much as it annoyed him, anything he could say was cut off by Lyla's answer.

"Jaynix has not made a single mistake in her life. The people she's killed deserved it and she's protected everyone who lives within these walls. Including you, Detective. She's a hero."

"And Lao?"

"A monster who got what he deserved."

Birtwhistle leaned in.

"Be honest with me, Lyla. You truly didn't see anything wrong at all with any of the decisions made? Not even the decision to allow Jaynix on the final Lawless mission?"

Lyla looked to the detective.

"I knew what it meant to her...when she was first sidelined she told me that she wanted me to see the struggle through for her. I saw then in her eyes that she wanted to be there...but decided against it. When Lao came for her and Elma anyway…"

Lyla waited a few moments.

"Jaynix attaches herself to people...maybe a little too quickly. I see it as a result of her losing her parents. She's formed a powerful bond with Elma, Lao attacking her put her on this road. Nothing could stop her then."

Ivan nodded.

"What if you told her to stop? What then?"

Lyla shook her head.

"She had doubts about being involved with the mission during the briefing but there was no reality where she could sit on her hands while we all went to fight. The only way she could put all of her conflicting emotions to rest was to do away with them herself."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"Yet no one thought to bring Flame into the operation? Why?"

"You would have to ask Flame that. What I will say is that Flame dealt with the pain differently...she had no illusions about her military might. She knew exactly how skilled she was and that the shot wasn't hers to take...but like all of us, she's glad it was taken."

Birtwhistle adjusted his tie, Lyla watched the man deliver some sort of signal to the transcriber before facing Lyla once more.

"The purpose of this investigation is to find a truth we cannot find. I acknowledge that. But decisions were made and there are consequences. There has to be."

"I understand that. I only ask if it's truly worth it to pursue all of this because a monster was killed. We lost many lives in that battle yet all our superiors seem to care about is Lao, the man who took those lives. We killed Torrez too in case you weren't aware. I myself was directly involved with that. It was my shot that allowed the General to decapitate him. Yet no one cares about that. Why is the only issue Jaynix shooting Lao? Is it because Lao was Lao? Or because Jaynix is Jaynix? Why does it matter so much?"

Gathering his supplies, Birtwhistle got to his feet.

"I'm not the one who can answer that question Mrs. Copeland. An order was given. An order was disobeyed. That's all."

Lyla sighed.

"You may want to shape up on that end before you go to your last interview, Ivan. That kind of answer won't stand."

"I have no reason to answer anything from anyone. The ones being questioned are all of you."

Lyla watched Birtwhistle turn and open the door, allowing the transcriber through who paused briefly to whisper to the man. He shook his head quickly, lips barely moving as the person left the room.

"Detective."

Looking to Lyla, he waited.

"Flame is going to eat you alive."

He kept his eyes on her for a few more moments before departing. Letting out a long breath, Lyla got to her feet.

"That went well…"

Leaving the room she spotted Elma, Nagi and Kumon sitting together. The General's face was pale and both Elma and Nagi were concerned.

Quickly she made her way over to them.

"Sir! Are you alright?"

He shook his head causing Lyla to address the other two.

"What happened?"

Elma and Nagi shared a look before the Colonel spoke up.

"It seems Kumon...tampered with evidence from 2041. From the Massacre."

Lyla looked to the General.

"Sir?"

"If they found out...Jaynix never...her career. Her story. It all would've ended there...I couldn't let that happen. I just lost Sonja and Maxwell...I wasn't about to lose her too."

Lyla got onto her knees, reaching out to place a hand on Kumon's face and gently move him so he was facing her.

Nagi spoke, quietly.

"Ivan already knows. It seems he had an interview with Steven Harper before we even came here."

Lyla kept her eyes on Kumon as she spoke.

"You think he needed to verify the information? If the proof is gone he can't very well rely only on the Archer's words..."

Kumon watched something form in Lyla's eyes.

"Wait...if Steven told him that earlier...that means he must have known."

Elma and Nagi nodded.

"...if he did know why say something now? He-"

Realization dawning in Lyla's eyes, she leaned closer to Kumon.

"Because of Jaynix. He's doing this to get to her, isn't he?"

Kumon nodded, finally allowing himself to speak and say something else he never truly accepted.

"He hates her."

Nagi raised an eyebrow.

"What? Why?"

Elma put a hand on the General's shoulder.

"That doesn't make any sense. The two of them are accomplished soldiers, serving the Coalition. Steven is a hero just-"

Elma recalled her first official meeting with the Archer shortly before the Lawless operation. The man asked her something about Jaynix. At the time she admitted to not liking the idea of talking about the woman behind her back. But something about Steven as he asked the question and waited for an answer was...different to how he presented himself in other situations.

"Kumon. What does he want?"

The General took Lyla's hand into his own and moved it from his face.

"Would you believe revenge?"

"It can't be. Revenge for what? Why now?"

Nagi asked. Kumon took a deep breath before looking up, his eyes finding the door that Birtwhistle went into not long ago.

"Let's wait for Flame...she needs to hear this too."

Closing his eyes, Kumon thought.

" _Unless he tells her first."_

Lyla stood up, looking to Nagi, she saw confusion in his eyes which gave way to determination as he whispered some support to the General.

Then she looked to Elma, silent and stoic, her eyes however, were anything but.

Elma slowly met Lyla's gaze.

The women stared at one another for a few moments before nodding.


	5. Skell R&D Lead Flame Copeland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last of Ivan's interviews for the day is here. Jaynix's younger sister, Flame.

In one of the last rooms at the end of the hall, Flame stood next to the table and chairs. Eyes closed.

When it came to things like this, Flame knew she was horribly underprepared. While she did grow over the years, meeting new people still had a tendency to make her nervous and meeting people who have different positions of power over her even more so.

Not to mention the fact that the man who was coming, the investigator that was going to ask her all sorts of questions about the man who ruined her life and her sister. Her protector. That man was the father of one of her closest and most important friends.

" _Flame."_

" _H.B.? It's the middle of the night. Did something go wrong?"_

" _No. Everything is good here. Alexa and I can handle it."_

_Flame sat up in her bed._

" _...are you sure?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Did you call to check in on Jaynix? She's not awake yet."_

_Flame waited, silence. H.B. wasn't the kind of man to have trouble speaking but clearly something was bothering him._

" _Hector…"_

_There was a laugh before he finally spoke._

" _I know that things are...complicated over there and I have no doubt that it will only get worse."_

" _You mean...the investigation?"_

_H.B. wasted no more time getting to the point._

" _My father will be heading it up. There is no doubt in my mind. I'd prefer if you didn't have to interact with him."_

_Flame shook her head._

" _If he's coming for JayJay...then I'm going to stand in his way."_

" _...I know...I just don't want him to drag you too far into it."_

" _Thank you, Hector...but I am JayJay's only living blood relative. It doesn't matter what happens or who handles it...I'm already in it."_

_H.B. took a deep breath, Flame knew he had to be adjusting his glasses right now. He always did._

" _Alexa and I will keep the work going...focus on what you have to do."_

" _Of course...thanks for the call, Hector. I appreciate your support as always."_

_There was a short beat before he replied, a smile evident in his voice._

" _Don't mention it."_

Hearing the door open, Flame nodded to herself before opening her eyes. H.B. 's father Ivan Birtwhistle walked into the room, his eyes focused on her, she could see the familiarity within them.

"Flame."

She could only nod before sitting down, the man doing the same as the transcriber entered, avoiding eye contact.

"If I may ask a favor of you, Ms. Copeland. I ask that we keep this discussion on topic."

Flame raised an eyebrow.

"I assumed that to be how this always goes."

"I've been led to believe otherwise by my last interview...can you do me that favor?"

"I'll do what I can to help JayJay…"

Birtwhistle nodded, whispering something to himself before placing his binders on the table.

"Personnel information if you please."

"Flame Copeland. 31. Leader of a Skell R&D Team at the Cross' Koo Facility."

"How big is your team?"

"Including me, three members."

The investigator looked like he planned to ask something else but decided against it.

"I suppose we should just get into it, once we're done here you and the others will be able to leave. I'm sure you all want that."

Clearing his throat, he began.

"When did you first meet Lao Huang?"

"That would be September 2041 at the Rhadamanthus Academy. I wouldn't really call it a meeting...I was in a crowd with my sister when he was introduced at the head of our group by Commander Nagi. The same for Torrez and other notable figures within the Devoted. As I'm sure you know they were there to train a class of our best including my sister."

The Detective nodded.

"You didn't talk to him...at all? Not once?"

Flame waited a few moments, thinking.

"No. We didn't really bump into each other in the halls and I wasn't chosen to be in the training group so…"

"Why not?"

Flame shrugged.

"My strength is my mind. My fingers are pretty skilled too, I can wield my tools with precision. My father always told me to cherish my mind, my imagination. I didn't always agree when I was younger…"

Flame thought back to the many times in her youth when Jaynix stood in front of her, fighting off the bullies and offering her warm smiles and a hand.

"...but I've come to accept it. My specialty lies elsewhere."

Birtwhistle nodded as Flame realized something. She stopped herself from apologizing, the answer was far too long and off topic.

"I take it given your limited encounter with Lao that you didn't see anything about him that seemed off?"

"No. Nothing."

Flame nodded to herself. That was better. To the point.

"This next question seems pointless to ask you but...when did you first meet Jaynix?"

Flame waited a few moments before speaking.

"The day I was born I guess...I wasn't able to make the connection of who or what she was to me until I was about 2 or 3."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"Thank you. For you the question is honestly pointless but I have a pattern. As ridiculous as it may seem I can't bring myself to stray from it…"

Flame watched as the investigator prepared to say something else but decided not to.

"Talk me through what you remember from the Massacre."

Flame thought back to that horrible day, the memories were best left in the dark. She and Jaynix only revisited them once a year at their parents' graves.

"I know it's hard but-"

"No you don't."

There was silence, Flame looked up to see surprise in Ivan's face.

"You don't know anything. You weren't there."

Ivan opened his mouth to say something else only for Flame to cut her off.

"You can't understand what it's like...to lose half of your family in one day...I spent days thinking I'd lose Jaynix too. That I'd be left all alone. You could never. Ever. Know how hard it is to talk about it."

"I didn't mean to offend."

Flame closed her eyes as he spoke once more.

"I have to hear from you what you remember. At the very least, what do you recall about Jaynix at the time?"

There was a short silence before Flame spoke.

"The first explosion. I saw it. It swallowed up everyone in the training room and then came for me. Jaynix immediately covered me and our father covered us both...she was afraid. Terrified. When I came to...she was distraught...we both were…"

Ivan waited as she took a deep breath.

"Jaynix was angry...but more than that...she was scared. Even as she ran from my father and I. I could tell...but she's not the kind of person who could ever sit on her hands when something terrible is happening...my bond with our father was special...just like Jaynix's bond with our mother…"

"When did you see her next?"

Flame recalled that moment, vividly.

"Kumon and his rescue team came back...there were so many emergency vehicles filled with body bags, I was led to one with my sister...she wouldn't respond to me no matter what I said...but when I took her hand…"

Flame shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore. Not with you."

"Fair enough…"

Birtwhistle cleared his throat.

"I've spent these last few hours talking to people who recognize Jaynix as a brave and valiant young woman and after that tragedy in 2041 she changed."

"No she didn't."

"I know she's your sister Flame, but-"

"She didn't change."

Flame looked to the investigator once more.

"She's still the same kind, brave and strong person she's always been. All that time with Kumon...she and I pulled ourselves back together. Her smile is as bright as ever and she's more dedicated to the protection of everyone than ever before."

"Could the Jaynix you knew before the Massacre truly be capable of the violent acts she commits now? Surely you know that she inherited her mother's title as-"

"The Bloodstained Corporal."

Ivan waited, Flame thinking back to the first time she heard that moniker.

"Jaynix didn't inherit it. She was given it by people who feared her. She never believed she had the right to call herself that...yet she never told others to stop...she's not a monster. She's my sister. She was hurting. Lao reappearing only brought that hurt back."

Ivan nodded.

"I see. Regardless of the depths of her pain, you can't say it justifies her violent actions and her unprovoked murder of Lao."

Flame looked down at her hands.

"Jaynix protected me my entire life...I believe in her. I know that when she goes out there, gets thrown into combat, it looks like she changes...but she knows what she's doing."

"I'm sorry Flame but the evidence supports otherwise. In a fit of rage, Jaynix has no idea what she's capable of as evident by her actions during the 2041 Massacre."

Flame waited, Ivan watching her reaction.

"Unless...you don't know what it is she did?"

"What are you talking about?"

Ivan glanced over to his transcriber who shook their head. He looked back at Flame.

"You don't know what she did?"

"I know she went out to fight...despite her best efforts, she...she couldn't save our mother…"

"Any specifics?"

"I didn't want to know…"

Ivan nodded.

"I see...tell me, Flame. You truly believe Jaynix to be a hero, yes?"

"Of course."

"Can anything sully that image of her in your mind?"

Flame shook her head.

"No."

"Isn't that perhaps blind faith? You seem to be too devoted to your sister. Your love for her may be a detriment to you as a person if you can't see her for what she truly is."

Flame rolled her eyes.

"You have no right to talk of family, Ivan."

The detective watched as Flame looked over to the transcriber who looked up at Flame. Once they locked eyes, there was realization in the transcriber's face. Slowly, Flame moved to look at Ivan once more.

"I have a family, Flame. I can understand how you might view one of your siblings or your parents-"

"Or your son."

Ivan cleared his throat.

"We agreed to stay on topic."

"That was before I realized that you are still working with that same transcriber...tell me, is that not who you left Hector for? Your wife?"

"I said we stay on topic."

"And I said, you have no understanding of what family means. You never respected Hector and you turned your back on him."

Ivan raised an eyebrow.

"Hector?"

"You weren't satisfied with destroying your own family so here you are...trying to destroy mine."

Ivan shook his head.

"My job is not personal. What happened with Hector and I is unrelated, let's stay on topic."

Flame remained silent as Ivan continued.

"The Coalition is considering dismissing Jaynix from service. What do you say to that?"

Flame sighed.

"Would this all end if she was dismissed?"

Ivan said nothing.

"I've been thinking about it for a while and dismissal doesn't seem to be far enough...not based on the questions or your team's fervor to get at Jaynix and her friends while they were recovering...you speak of her as if she's some monster. As if what she did with killing Lao was some high crime."

Ivan saw anger form in Flame's eyes.

"You don't want to dismiss her. You want to imprison her."

There was a long silence as Ivan stood up.

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Copeland. I believe-"

"That's it? I guess I shouldn't be surprised you're making such a hasty escape just like you did to Hector and Rosa."

Ivan narrowed his eyes.

"That's none of your business."

Flame stood up to meet him.

"Hector is important to me. He's my teammate. His pain is my pain just like my pain is his."

Ivan crossed his arms.

"Teammate? I get a much deeper vibe than that."

"So what? The depths of my feelings are too much for an unfaithful, abusive man like you to ever understand."

Ivan chuckled, the transcriber standing to say something when he spat.

"At least I don't have a sibling who killed innocent people in a fit of rage."

Flame took a step back, searching Ivan's eyes.

"What...what are you talking about?"

"During the 2041 Massacre, your sister killed not only enemy soldiers...but fellow Academy Officers. She ensured there would be no survivors."

"There's no proof of that!"

Ivan nodded.

"You'll have to ask the General about that part."

Flame clenched her teeth.

"Why would you lie about this?"

"I gain nothing by telling you lies...the only weapon that matters in this building, for this investigation, is the truth."

Flame's hands balled into fists.

"The truth? Have you accepted the truth about what you did to your family?"

"I did nothing wrong."

Flame narrowed her eyes.

"Yet you claim to be an agent of truth...you...you're a putrid man."

"At least I don't have any blood on my ledger."

The transcriber moved to Ivan's side and whispered to him. Ivan said something back and the individual left the room.

"Seems staying on topic was never a choice with you, Flame."

"Not after what you did to Hector."

"I never hit him."

"There are more ways to abuse someone than just hitting them. Unfortunately, those are harder to prove."

Ivan adjusted his tie.

"Flame. The point of this investigation is to determine where the fault lies. Who made what mistake that led to Lao's death. I'll tell you now...everyone in this building is guilty. The Colonel, the Commander, the General and Jaynix's own wife allowed her to join the mission when they all had intimate knowledge of Jaynix's instability. A highly valued target is dead because of this...not only that but the General tampered with evidence of the 2041 Massacre, preventing us from knowing about the people that Jaynix killed. Once this report is filed, everyone will be facing the consequences…"

Flame remained silent as Ivan shrugged.

"...everyone except for you...as far removed from the decision making as you were, there was nothing you could've done. If I were you? I'd be happy to know that I dodged the bullet."

Ivan studied Flame once more. Many people said that the difference in Flame and Jaynix's demeanors were night and day. Jaynix's burning eyes filled with passion, Flame's wide and bright green eyes were a stark contrast.

Yet now, he could see. She and Jaynix truly earned the title they were granted in the last years at the Academy. Fire Sisters.

Ivan cleared his throat once more, closing his eyes and calming himself.

"It was not my intention to have this discussion run so foul. Thank you for your time Ms. Copeland."

With that he turned on his heel and left.

Flame closed her eyes, unclenching her fists before exiting the room. She saw Ivan address the rest of the group, the emotions in Elma and Lyla's eyes were anything but positive before the man walked away.

They then focused on her as she approached.

"Is what he said true?"

The group was silent, Kumon slowly looking up at her.

"Did Jaynix...kill her friends?"

All eyes were on the General as he nodded. Nagi immediately demanded more information as Flame took a step back in shock.

Lyla was at her side immediately, speaking to her as Elma left the group.

Outside of the building, Elma spotted Ivan and his transcriber. The pair seemed to be engaged in a heated argument. Ivan went for the transcriber's hand only for them to pull away and yell back once more.

Elma crossed her arms and waited until the men were finished. Ivan's gaze moved to meet hers. He adjusted his tie as she approached.

"Is there truly...nothing we can do for her?"

Ivan was surprised at Elma's tone of voice. He expected anything but that. The man looked off into the direction his transcriber had left before facing Elma.

"I don't believe so, Colonel."

The pair stood in silence before something came to Ivan.

"Nagi asked what I would do if the abuse in power was over all of our heads. Higher up in the Coalition. I don't know if that was a hypothetical or if there was something there...but if you could prove to me that what set off Lao, what set off all of this. Put Jaynix on the path that led to her shooting Lao...if all of that was caused by someone else…"

Elma's eyes widened.

"I'll get the information to you immediately."

Ivan seemed confused but decided against delving deeper. With a nod he turned and walked away as Nagi, Kumon, Lyla and Flame exited the building.

Elma went right for Flame.

"Your sister-"

"It's alright...Elma…"

The Colonel watched as Flame's eyes met hers.

"JayJay...I want to talk to her about this...I can't let myself lose sight of what matters...she's my sister. My only blood family."

Elma nodded as Flame looked to the General. The man slowly met her eyes.

"I...understand why you did what you did, General…"

"It doesn't excuse it...we're all in the positions we are in now because of me."

"We'll figure this out."

The man turned to Lyla who smiled.

"We always do. Together."

Kumon tried to say something more when Nagi put a hand on his shoulder.

"Patience, Hideo."

Flame took one of the General's hands in her own.

"Jaynix just woke up...we're finally done with our meetings. Let's go back to her. Be the strength she needs just like she is for us."

The General wanted to say more but the look in Flame's eyes silenced his doubts, at least for now.

Lyla took hold of Kumon's other hand and the women led him along. Nagi and Elma looked to one another.

"You have that look in your eyes Elma. This isn't done, is it?"

"No. I know how to win this. For all of us…"

"Need help?"

Elma nodded.

"I'm pretty sure I will...whoever it is among the Coalition's higher ups that could be corrupt just as Kriss once told me, I'll need backup to bring him in."

"You don't know who they are, yet?"

Elma shook her head before looking down at her datapad which now contained the information on Benton's location.

"No...but I know someone who does."

"I could call some favors in. Get you a small team, just in case."

Elma smiled.

"Thank you, Nagi. That means a lot but for now, I'll be fine on my own."

Nagi brought a hand to his chin.

"For now, eh? You have someone else in mind for later?"

Elma nodded, Nagi tilting his head.

"Will they agree to the possibility of going up against Coalition command?"

"I think so…"

Elma crossed her arms before an idea came to mind.

"...if not...I'm pretty sure a gift of alcohol will secure his aid."


	6. Steven Harper, The Archer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Ivan Birtwhistle sat down with Elma and company, he received a request from one man to hear him out. That man...was Steven Harper.

_One week after the Lawless Incident_

"Ivan Birtwhistle."

"Councillor Ethos, this is quite the hour to call me at."

"I'm aware…"

Ivan sat up in bed, bringing a hand to his face he tried to rub the weariness away.

"What is it?"

"I'm sure you know about the Lawless and everything."

"Yes sir, of course."

"Those of us in power at the Coalition gave the armed forces a direct order to apprehend and bring Lao Huang in for questioning."

Ivan nodded.

"And?"

"It's come to our attention that he was killed by Corporal Jaynix Copeland."

Ivan continued to nod.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Lao and Jaynix's paths crossed once back in 2041. We need to find some connection between both these incidents to understand how and why Corporal Copeland was allowed on such a vital mission and why the outcome was not what we wanted."

Ivan glanced over at the other person in bed who was undisturbed by his discussion.

"From what I understand, Lao was a reprehensible man."

"Regardless, we required his arrest. Information vital to the security of Noah's Cradle died with him and we can't allow that misuse of power...Corporal Copeland acted unilaterally. We trust you can handle this."

Ivan sighed before nodding.

"Yes sir."

* * *

_Two months after the Lawless Incident_

"This is the last time I'm going to say this Ivan so pay attention."

The man crossed his arms as Elma stepped closer to him.

"Kriss, Nagi, Kumon, Lyla and especially Jaynix are not to be confronted by your people. Not while in ECP care."

"I appreciate your dedication to your friends-"

"They're my family."

Ivan nodded slowly.

"Be that as it may, the investigation I've been ordered to conduct is of vital importance to the security of Noah's Cradle. The answers I seek-"

"You're seeking answers from those who've barely woken up and are still recovering from their injuries!"

Ivan sighed.

"That I understand...but you see, I-"

"No more excuses, Ivan! Don't make me come here again."

Turning away, Elma left his office, slamming the door shut behind her. Ivan shook his head. He never thought he'd see the day when the Colonel would form such powerful personal attachments that caused her to put her duty and position, second.

Returning to his desk, he sat and poured himself a drink. Taking hold of the full glass, his eyes wandered to a wall covered in various achievements and recognition of his dedication to his work.

Taking a sip, he sighed in relief. His eyes passed by a stray photograph of himself, Rosa and Hector. They were all so young.

Shaking his head, he looked away from it when his phone rang. He waited, allowing it to ring a few more times, wanting nothing more than for it to stop so he could enjoy his drink.

With a sigh he answered the call.

"Birtwhistle."

"Detective. This is Steven Harper."

Ivan raised an eyebrow, placing his glass down.

"Harper? I didn't expect to get a call from you...Elma has already chastised me enough I-"

"I'm not calling you to chastise you."

Ivan sighed, leaning back in his seat as Steven continued.

"I'm calling to ask if you'd be interested in adding me to your list of suspects."

"I have no suspects. Merely people I need to question."

"Then question me."

Ivan raised an eyebrow.

"You? Why?"

"You'll want to hear what I have to say."

Ivan thought about this for a few moments, unsure about what Harper was planning.

"Very well...when can we do this?"

"From what I understand, the General is awake. There is something I must discuss with him once he's well enough. After that, I'll drop by."

"Alright. I look forward to it, Harper."

Hanging up, Birtwhistle took his glass back into his hands and drank the rest of the contents. Placing the now empty glass back down he thought about the call.

It's true that Steven Harper was at the Massacre over a decade ago but the man was questioned after the events and said that he couldn't recall anything of value. It was a desperate fight that he lost.

So if not related to that, what information could he possibly have? Ivan couldn't fight off his curiosity, a smirk forming on his face as he poured himself another drink.

* * *

_Three months after the Lawless Incident_

Steven sat in a room within the Coalition's headquarters. The Investigative team was based out of this wing of the building. He introduced himself to the detectives near the entrance and they directed him to a room.

Steven wanted to come sooner but his talk with Kumon left him in a very foul mood. As far as he was concerned, the General was stomping all over their bond for his new connection with the Corporal. It made no sense to Steven no matter how hard he tried to understand it.

Closing his eyes, he moved one of his hands to his side where Jaynix had torn her blade out of, the searing pain returned in that instant. Clenching his teeth he remembered the young woman as she turned her blade on him. Her hair whipping about as she shot through the clearing, rage in her wild eyes, blood staining her face giving her a ghastly appearance.

He could swear she was smiling.

"Mr. Harper."

Opening his eyes, he looked to see Ivan Birtwhistle standing before him. He didn't even hear the man enter the room and so he chose not to comment as Ivan sat himself down.

"I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"I'm the one who should be saying that...I've actually been busier these last few months than I expected."

Birtwhistle shrugged.

"Aren't we all?"

Pulling out his datapad, Ivan typed in a few commands before a holographic keyboard popped up.

"You said you wanted it to be just the two of us...so I'll have to handle the transcribing too."

"I apologize if it's an inconvenience."

Birtwhistle shook his head.

"No worries. So. If it's alright with you I'd like to ask. Why are we meeting here today?"

Steven took a deep breath.

"The 2041 Massacre. We all know that there were only two survivors. Jaynix and myself."

"Yes. Everyone else, the academy officers, the Devoted and Sonja Copeland were all dead on arrival."

Steven nodded.

"My debrief after being treated and released from the hospital, my comments which are on public record. You remember what I said?"

Birtwhistle thought back before nodding.

"Yes. Due to the trauma of the event and the injuries you sustained, you weren't able to recall much if anything that happened that day. The only thing you were sure of was that Jaynix was somewhere on the field and so you directed the General to her."

"Yes...but that was a lie."

Ivan stopped typing and looked up at Steven, confused.

"What was a lie?"

"I remember everything. I could never and will never forget what happened that day."

Ivan shook his head.

"Mr. Harper...if what you're saying is that you lied in your debrief about the Massacre...then-"

"I was instructed to."

There was a long silence, Ivan took his hands away from the keyboard.

"Mr. Harper...what is your aim here?"

Steven smiled.

"I'm not here to get myself arrested though I know that I may be giving off that impression, no...I'm just a cog in the machine. There is much more to this story…"

Ivan watched the man closely before his hands returned to the keyboard.

"Alright then. Carry on."

"After the explosion that tore through Rhadamanthus Academy, another went off and destroyed a portion of the perimeter wall. I was out in the training field with the Devoted who were practicing their shooting. Lao and Torrez were also present, as was Sonja who seemed to be in the middle of a discussion with Lao."

Steven thought back to that day.

"There was a lot of confusion after the explosions...I'm not sure who made the decision, it was so loud but there was an immediate concern that the breach in our defenses would let the enemy in...or let them out. So we went to find out which it was and stop whoever was behind the attack."

Ivan nodded.

"That was the most sensible theory...no one could have predicted the betrayal."

Steven remembered running with the Devoted and the academy officers out into the Uncontrolled Districts. He remembered his desire to bring those responsible to justice as the General had taught him.

"Once we were far enough away from the perimeter wall, we slowed our pace. Lao and Sonja seemed to be talking about something else...so I moved closer to get a better listen. Torrez didn't seem to like that so I hung back."

"Did you hear anything?"

"Pieces. Lao was talking about Project Exodus. About the Lifehold. He didn't sound happy."

"Why do you think that is?"

Steven shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Another common theory is that the Devoted were loyal to the Coalition...but Lao flipped them. How and when we'll never know given that the man himself is dead...based on the after action reports filed by Colonel Elma and the debriefings we've recently received from Agent Lyla and General Kumon we know that the people who made up the Lawless were also brought in by Lao. Whatever he was selling, a lot of people were buying."

Ivan tapped his chin.

"You believe that what Lao was doing that day...was trying to recruit Sonja to his cause?"

"I do."

"Why would he believe that would work? Sonja is a well regarded hero of the Coalition. He'd have better luck turning anyone else."

Steven closed his eyes. Remembering the last words Lao said to Sonja before the fight broke out.

" _...will you let that happen to your daughters?"_

"Sonja had children...that was the connection he sought to exploit. It didn't work."

"And so?"

Steven cleared his throat.

"Jaynix appeared, calling for her mother and then the fight started. Sonja and I engaged Torrez and Lao while the Academy Officers fought with the Devoted."

Ivan nodded.

"I assume the rest is as you reported...chaos."

"It is. Lao led us into a sniper trap so I disengaged from the battle to take out the snipers while Sonja fought Lao. It was while my back was turned that she was fatally shot in the spine…"

Steven looked away, he always considered that moment his greatest failure. The honorable soldier he wanted to be. The protector. The image he chased after in the General. At that moment, he bid farewell to all his dreams.

"The look on Jaynix's face when her mother died right in front of her…"

Steven narrowed his eyes.

"She picked up her mother's blade and began fighting once more...but she was different."

"How so?"

"She was faster. Wilder. Her attack patterns...her movements...they looked nothing like anything she did during training. Her only goal was to get in close...and kill. Which she did. She ripped people apart."

Ivan watched the look in Steven's eyes.

"They tried crawling away from her...so she hacked their legs off. Leaving them to drag their stumps before sliding the blade in through the backs of their heads...she tackled one man to the ground and beat his skull in with the hilt of her sword…"

Slowly, Steven looked to Ivan.

"Then there was a group of officers surrounded by Devoted, outnumbered. Jaynix shot into the group and killed them all."

"...all of...the Devoted?"

Steven shook his head.

"Everyone. The officers pleaded for her to stop as she cut them down without mercy...there was no reason behind her violence, just a need to expel the storm of emotions within...anyone who crossed her path was damned."

"...does that include you, Mr. Harper?"

Steven nodded.

"I tried to stop her, snap some sense back into her...she stabbed me, slashed the side of my body open...I nearly bled out…"

Steven felt the searing pain in his side once more.

"I never recovered from that injury...it's one reason why I retired…"

Ivan crossed his arms and took a deep breath.

"You're telling me that Jaynix killed scores of her own comrades and nearly killed you?"

"She did."

"...do you have any proof?"

"Unfortunately, I only have my word."

Ivan sighed.

"I can't do much with only your word."

Steven cleared his throat.

"Maybe not...but there is one last important detail to all of this."

* * *

" _Steven...I need you to do something for me…"_

" _Sir...anything…"_

_Kumon looked down on the injured Archer, kneeling at his bedside he spoke._

" _I need you to help me protect her."_

" _...you mean...Jaynix?"_

_The man nodded._

" _...sir...she killed her friends...you're seeing what she did to me. Why would...you want to protect her?"_

_Kumon sighed._

" _Aside from her sister...I'm all she has now...getting back to how she was before...how any of us were before this is an impossibility...we all have to settle for good enough. Jaynix still has dreams she needs to achieve and she can't if the truth comes out and she's dismissed from duty or worse...committed."_

" _She can't run...from what she is...sir."_

_Kumon shook his head._

" _She's not...she's a young woman who watched her mother die. I brought her back to the Academy to find her heartbroken, inconsolable younger sister...she had to stand there and listen to people tell her that her father was gone too...what could you expect from her?"_

" _She's uncontrollable, sir...I saw it with my own eyes…"_

_Kumon bowed his head._

" _Please Steven. Help me."_

_The Archer remained silent, minutes ticked by before the General stood._

" _I had hoped that you'd understand...I've already…"_

" _What did you do, sir?"_

_Kumon sighed._

" _Nothing of value can be retrieved from her blade. I made sure of it…"_

_Steven tried to sit up but couldn't._

" _You...interfered with the evidence?"_

" _I had to...either that or risk them finding the blood of innocents on that blade. Either Jaynix did it or Sonja did and I can't stand the thought of-"_

" _But Jaynix did do it!"_

_Kumon stood up._

" _Please Steven...it's already done…"_

_The Archer closed his eyes._

" _Why? You know that if I come clean now...they'll come for you as well as her..."_

" _I know...I'm prepared to go down for this...anything to protect Sonja and Maxwell's daughters."_

" _...you're going to keep putting her first, aren't you? Until the day you die for it…"_

" _I don't intend to...but she and Flame are my foremost priority. I'm asking you once more, Steven. Please."_

* * *

There was silence in the room, Ivan removing his glasses and rubbing his forehead.

"You're telling me...General Hideo Kumon, celebrated Coalition General and soldier is responsible for tampering with evidence to one of the Coalition's most critical and infamous cases? One of this government's greatest failures?"

"Yes."

Ivan stood up and walked away, shaking his head.

"I'm telling the truth. For the first time in over a decade, I'm finally able to say that…"

Ivan looked back at Steven.

"Why now?"

There was more silence as Ivan connected the dots.

"Jaynix. You're after her."

"I'm doing what's right...whether this leads to Jaynix being ousted from the military or being sent to prison...I'll be satisfied knowing I finally did the right thing."

Ivan took a deep breath, thinking to himself. Walking back to the table he retrieved his glasses, putting them on and adjusting his tie before sitting down once more.

"Tell me. Mr. Harper. What do you want me to do with this information?"

Steven leaned in and whispered.

"Your job."

* * *

Later that night, Steven found himself at one of the Skell maintenance facilities in Noah's Cradle. These installations were built all over the megacity for repairs when Skells returned from missions. It was also here that most pilots customized their Skells and discussed their loadouts with one another. To many, it was a fun pastime.

"Harper? That you?"

Steven looked as a large, intimidating man approached. Shaved head and a wide smile as he slammed his hand into Steven's shoulder.

"Long time no see Archer. To what do I owe this visit to my humble temple."

Steven chuckled.

"Hardly a temple, Boze."

"Your temple is that which you dedicate yourself to, be it in protection or life...and so...this is my temple."

Steven nodded.

"Can't argue with that…"

Boze followed Steven's gaze to the Skell.

"Ah. Interested in him? This one is mine, Sentinel."

"I thought I saw this one flying overhead during the battle against the Lawless."

Boze nodded.

"Nasty business that was...but we got it done. Delivered those traitors to the hell they deserved."

"Indeed."

There was a comfortable silence before Boze asked once more.

"Why are you here? Perhaps the time for you to take the Skell certification exam has come?"

Steven laughed.

"Maybe? Never too late for an old dog to learn new tricks...before that...would you mind giving me a rundown on Skells?"

Boze crossed his arms.

"I can do it...but we have plenty of manuals and guides available on the network that are far more detailed."

"That's true...but I'd prefer to hear from someone who's worked firsthand with one of these machines...and for a long time."

Steven smiled.

"Know anyone like that?"

The Archer watched a proud smirk form on Boze's face.

"I may know a few...anything specific you want to know?"

Steven took a deep breath.

"Weaknesses."

Boze raised an eyebrow.

"That's an odd choice."

"I'm an odd man."

Boze shrugged.

"No denying that. In our age of firearms and advancing technology...you wield a hunter's pride and joy. What a world."

Boze struck Steven's arm once more and began walking towards Sentinel.

"Very well Archer. Let's begin."

Steven nodded his head and followed the Mad Monk.

"Yes. Let's."


End file.
